Improvement in closet-latches



W. E. SPARKS.

CLOSET-LATCH.

Patented May15,1877.

N-PEIE'RS, PNOTO LITHOGRAPHERI WASHINGTON D C UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WILLIAM E. SPARKS, OF NEW BRITAIN, CONNECTICUT, ASSIGNOR TO P. & F. CORBIN, OF SAME PLACE.

IMPROVEMENT IN CLOSET-LATCHES.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. [90,792, dated May 15, 1877; application filed February 22, 1877.

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, WILLIAM E. SPARKS, of New Britain, in the county of Hartford and State of Connecticut, have invented an Improvement in Closet-Catches, of which the following is a specification [n Letters Patent N 0. 172,191 a closet-catch is shown in which the latch is provided with a stud that passes through the plate, and receives beneath its undercut end the spring that projects the latch, and also serves to hold the latch to the plate.

My present invention is an improvement upon the aforesaid device, and is made for relieving the spring of strain or wear when the knob of the latch is pulled upon in opening the door.

I provide flanges upon the latch-stud to pass through an opening in the plate, and act at the back of such plate to guide the latch and retain the same while sliding back and forth, and the spring that projects the latch answers as a stop to prevent the latch moving too far back and becoming separated from the plate.

In the drawing, Figure 1 is an elevation of the catch. Fig. 2 is-a rear view of the same, and Fig. 3 is a section at the line .90 m.

The plate a is provided with a rim, b, and bridge a, and the latch 0 slides upon the outside of the plate a and beneath the bridge 0, as in the aforesaid patent. The latch-knob h may be of any desired character. The stud 0 projects from the under side of the latch, and has flanges i at each side, and the mortise in the plate a is enlarged at its extreme end sufficiently to allow these flanges i to be passed through the plate a and slide upon the back thereof, and thus connect the latch to the plate independent of the spring, for the ordinary movement of the bolt, when in use, will not bring the flanges 2' far enough back to reach the enlarged part of the slot; but to prevent the bolt moving beyond the required distance, I introduce the spring I, that projects the bolt, and one end thereof, taking against the stop 1", limits the movement of the bolt.

I claim as my invention- The bolt 0, having flanges i upon its stud o, in combination with the plate at, having a mortise that is enlarged at one end for the passage of such flanges, and the spring 1, substantially as specified.

Signed by me this 16th day of February, A. D. 1877.

WM. E. SPARKS.

Witnesses CHARLES PEGK, EDWD. L. PRIOR. 

